Hay rake and loader



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. E. SHOEMAKER. V HAY RAKE AND LOADER.

Patented June 13, 1882.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2 T. E..SHOEMAKER.

HAY RAKE AND LOADER.

No. 259,335. Patented June 13, 1882.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T. E. SHOEMAKER.

HAY RAKE AND LOADER.

No. 259,335. Patented June 13, 1882.

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THOMAS E. SHOEMAKER, OF WEST SALEM, OHIO.

HAY RAKE AND LOADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,335, dated June 13,1882. Application filed March 14, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom 2t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. SHOEMAKER, of West Salem, in the county ofWayne and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHay Rakes and Loaders; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for loading andstacking hay, and the object is to materially simplify the constructionof such devices, to decrease the number of parts, and to render themachine more efficient in use.

My invention consists, first, in the improved means for adjusting theinclination of the stacker, and, further, in the improved constructionof the rake, all as fully hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 2, a rearview 5 Fig. 3, a front view with the rake removed.

A A represent the carrying-wheels, which run loose on the axle B andsupport the frame and stacker. On the inner end of the hubs O of thesewheels are ratchets 1 1, which engage with pawls 2 2, pivoted on plates.3, rigidly mounted on the axle. Springs 4 hold such pawls constantly inengagement with the ratchet. Upon the axle are keyed disks D D, of abouttwo-thirds the diameter of the main carrying-wheels, and these disksreceive arotary motion when the axle is in gear with the driving-wheel.Each of the disks is provided with a flange or rim, 5, for the purposeof securing the web thereon. Upon the axle is mounted the frame F,consisting of side bars 7 7 and end pieces, 8 8. In the rear end of theframe is secured the rake G, composed of independently pivoted teeth 9,hinged or mounted upon a cross-rod, 10, stepped in the side beams 7 7.These teeth are curved, as shown, and their upper ends bear against across-rod, l1, adjustably secured in the side beams of the frame, asshown in Fig. 2. Each tooth is provided with a stiff coil-spring, 12, bywhich the teeth are enabled to give or yield to inequalities of thesurface and to spring back to place when the obstruction is passed. Itwill be noticed that each of the teeth is independently pivoted, so thateach may be separately removed for repairs and replaced withoutafi'ectin g the position of the remainder of the teeth. The adjustmentof the rake is secured by means of the bentcross-bar 11, heretoforementioned, against the under side of which all the teeth of the rakehear. This bar is bent at both ends, and is adjustably secured to theupper side of the side beams of the frame by means of screws 13 13; orsuch bar may be attached to a slotted plate rendered adjustable by aset-screw in the same manner. The adjustment is accomplished byloosening the screws and moving the plate forward and backward in theslot. When the plate is at its extreme backward position the rake willbe held close under the web, out of contact with the ground, and inposition for removal to or from the field. The reverse movement bringsthe rake into greater or less proximity to the ground, according to thedegree of adjustment. The rod 11 may be locked in place by alocking-bar, l4, and secured in the end piece of the main frame, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The stacker I is composed of abed-plate, J, and side bars K K the latterbeing pivoted to the side bar 7 7 just in rear of the carrying-wheel, sothat the stacker and main frame have each a relatively independentmovement. The elevation and adjustment of the stacker are accomplishedby means of a curved bail, L, composed of arms 16 16 and a pivotedlever, 17, having a toothed rack, 18, pivoted to swing freely on thebail. On the front cross-bar of the main frame is a standard, 19, havinga guide or way, 20, and to this standard is pivoted a pawl or latch, 21,pressed down by a spring, 22, to engage with the rack on the lever 17.It is evident, therefore, that by means of the bail the lever may slideperpendicularly in the way or guide, and may be held at any elevation bymeans of the bail engaging with the rack 18.

The web M is composed of crossslats 23, having pins or teeth 24 andendless strips 25, the whole forming a belt which is adapted to travelon the disks D D and to seize the hay as it is gathered by the rake andlift it to the point above the wagon on which it is to be loaded. In theforward end of the side bars of the stacker are journaledfriction-rollers 26, over which the web passes, and rollers 27 are alsojournaled in the curved arms 16 of the bail which carries theadjusting-lever, these last-named rollers preventing the sagging ordropping of the bail on the under side of the carrier.

Curtains N N are provided at the sides of the stacker for preventing thehay from dropping 011' the edge and insuring its delivery at the upperend of such stacker.

On the front cross-bar of the frame is attached the coupling or otherconnection by which the stacker is secured to the wagon.

In the operation of the device the disks are geared into the ratchets onthe hubs of the driving-wheels, the stacker is coupled to the wagon onwhich the hay is to be loaded, and the wagon is driven through the fieldand the hay raked up. As the hay is gathered by the rake it is seized bythe web, to which motion is imparted through the drive-wheels, as beforedescribed, and is carried up over the web to a point above the wagon onwhich it is to be loaded. I

The disks D are provided with cross-rods 29 and with stops 30, againstwhich the crossbars of the web bear, by which the web is pervented fromslipping on the disks, while at the same time such cross-bars brace theparts firmly together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationof the main frame and carrying-wheels, the stacker pivoted to the mainframe, the standard 19, and the pivoted bail having the pivoted leverprovided with a rack, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the main frame, of the cross-bar 10, of theindependent rake-teeth mounted or pivoted thereon, of the springs 12,and of the adjustable cross-bar 11, against the lower surface of whichthe said teeth bear, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name 40 to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS E. SHOEMAKEB.

Witnesses:

J. P. MoRR, S. P. HARRINGTON.

